Relief-valve.



W. 0. MOODY.

RELIEF VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.15,1912.

7 I, m 2 we 7m M 1, g a a w m 0 m xa Z s 5 m P Em ia WILLIAM C. MOODY,(IF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RELIEF-VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Sept. 3, 1912.

Application filed April 15, 1912. Serial No. 690,909.

To all whom. it may concern: I

Be it known that I, WILLIAM O. llIoonY, a citizen of the United States,resldmg at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Relief-Valves, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to the type of relief-valves usedin connection with fluid-pressure engines, my improved relief-valvehaving been devised for use more particularly, though not exclusively,onlocomotives.

My object is to provide a form of cap for a valve of the type abovereferred to which may be inverted, if desired, for closing the valveout-let in the event of impairment of the valve, and thus preventsubstantial escape of steam from the steam-chest; this feature of myinvention being of especial advantage in valves for locomotives, as byits provision, the locomotive, should a relief-valve on a steam-chestthereof become impaired, will not be materially disabled but maycontinue its run.

Referring to the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a sectional view of alocomotive cylinder of a type employing pistonvalves, the steam-chest ofwhich is equipped with a relief-valve constructed in accordance with myinvention, the section being taken transversely through the cylinder andsteam-chest, with the valve shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is an enlargedsection taken at the line 2 on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of thearrow. Fig. 3 is a similar View of the upper end of the valve showingthe cap therefor in inverted position in which it serves as a closurefor the valve outlet in case of impairment of the valve. Fig. 4 is aplan View of the cap when in the posit-ion plan view of the cap when inthe position illustrated in Fig. 3.

In the drawings I have illustrated my improved relief-valve inconnection with a locomotive of the piston-valve type, the cylinder ofwhich is represented at 6 and the steam-chest at 7. The steam-chestcontains an outlet port 8 which opens into the casing 9 of my improvedvalve device, the upper end of the wall of the port 8 flaring asrepresented at 10 to form a seat against which the lower beveled edge 11of the casing 9 is seated and may be held in close contact to form atight joint, as by bolts (not shown) which may pass through openings 12on a flange 13 on the valve casing 9 and enter a casting containing thesteam-chest 7.

The casing 9 in the illustrated embodiment of my invention is formed oftwo sections 14 and 15, the upper section 14 fitting at a flange 16 onits lower end into the up- I per open end of the section 15, thesesections being secured together by bolts 17 which pass through lugs 18and 19 thereon. The section 15 is formed ,internally with a spider frame20 presenting a central portion 21 which operates as a stop for thevalve proper hereinafter described. The upper end ofthe section 14contains aspider frame 22 through an. opening 23 in the central portionof which a spindle 24 extends and is rigidly secured thereto as by a key25, the spindle 24 being provided with a shouldered portion 26 at whichit fits against the bottom of the spider frame 22.

The valve proper which is represented at I 27 loosely surrounds thelower end of the spindle 24 and is reciprocable thereon, the lower endof the hub 28 of the valve 27 being closed as represented at 29 to forma chamber 28 for a purpose hereinafter explained. The vali e 27cooperates at its beveled annular, surface 30., with a similarly beveledannular seat 31 provided on the interior of the casing section 14.

The upper end of the casing 9 is provided with a removable andinvertible cap 32 which fits over the upper end of the spindle I 24 andagainst the frame 22 and is secured thereto by a nut 33 screwing uponthe upper threaded end of the spindle. The cap 32, which when in normalposition (Fig. 2) 0perates to prevent the access of dirt to the interiorof the casing 9, is chambered on its under side as represented at 34 andcontains depending ribs 35 thereby rendering the interior of the casing9 open to the atmosphere. In the construction illustrated I provide agasket 37 which seats against the surface 36 of the casing section 14for use when the cap 32 is inverted as hereinafter described, and toprevent displacement of the gasket while the cap is in the positionshown in Fig. 2 I provide notches 38 in the under sides of the ribs 35,at which notches these ribs fit over the gasket and the annular surface36 of the casing section 14.

In the operation of the engine the valve 27 is caused to be reciprocatedon the spinstored, being driven upwardly thereby to press it against theseat 31. By providing the Chamber 28 in the valve 27 and into which thespindle .24 extends, the upward movement of the valve is retarded by theair cushion thus formed, and it seats gently in closing and thusinjurious pounding of the valve against the seat 31 is avoided.

Should any portion of the valve device become impaired sufficiently torender necessary the closing of the interior of the casing 9 to theatmosphere, the cap 32, upon being removed from the position illustratedin Fig. .2 and secured to the casing 9 in inverted position, asillustrated in Fig. 3, will operate to substantially close the outletend of the casing 9, the Hat annular seating surface 39 of the captogether with the gasket 37 and the upper surface 36 of the casing 9forming a relatively tight joint. It will be understood, however, that,if desired, the gasket 37 may be omit-ted. ,While I have illustrated anddescribed a particular embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to beunderstood as intending to be limited to said embodiment, as the samemay be variously modified and altered without departing from the spiritof my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a valve device of the character set forth, the combination withits casing con taining a valve seat and a valve cooperating therewith,of a removable and invertible cap on the casing for the casing outlet,said cap when in one position permitting communication of the interiorof the casing with the atmosphere and when in inverted condition servingas a closure for the casing outlet.

2. In a valve device of the character set forth, the combination withits casing containing a valve seat and a valve cooperating therewith, ofa removable and invertible cap for the casing outlet secured to saidcasing and forming a shield for the casing outlet when in one positionand when inverted thereon serving as a-closure for said outlet.

3. In a valve device of the character set forth, the combination withits casing containing a valve seat and a valve cooperating therewith, ofa removable and invertible cap for the casing outlet secured to saidcasing and forming a shield for the casing outlet when in one positionand when inverted thereon cooperating with the wall surrounding saidoutlet to afford a closure therefor.

t. In a valve device of the character set forth, the combination Withits casing containing a valve seat and a valve cooperating therewith, ofa removable and invertible can for the casing outlet having grooves onone surface thereof and an annular seating surface on its opposite side,said cap when seated at its grooved surface on said casing affordingshielded communication between the interior of said casing and theatmosphere, and when seated in inverted position operating to close saidoutlet.

5. In a valve device of the character set forth, the combination of acasing containing a valve seat, a spindle supported on the casing, avalve reciprocable on said spindle and cooperating with said seat, and aremovable and invertible cap for the casing outlet secured to saidspindle, said cap when in oneposition permitting communication of theinterior of the casing with the atmosphere and when in invertedcondition serving as a closure for the casing outlet.

6. In a valve device of the character set forth, the combination withits casing containing a valve seat and a valve cooperating therewith, ofa removable and invertible cap for the casing outlet formed on one sidewith a series of spaced ribs containing notches at which the cap isadapted to fit over the outlet end of the casing and provided on itsopposite side with an annular seating surface, and a gasket interposedbetween the casing and said cap for the purpose set forth.

WILLIAM O. MOODY. In the presence of L. HEISLER, R. SCHAEFER.

